Oil-can indicator.



Patented July 16, 1918.

i ii 1L 1 ,s, 1

LEONARD S. BALUTA, OF-KEISER, PENNSYLVANIA.

OIL-CAN mnrcaron.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD S. BALUTA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keiser, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- Can Indicators, of which the following is a specification. a

The present invention relates to oil cans and more particularly to new and useful improvements in indicators therefor/ An object ofmy invention is to provide an indicator for oil cans arranged in the outlet portions thereof, whereby to indicate the flow of oil and thecharacter and quality of the oil contained in the can.

Another object of my invention is to provide in an oil can of the class described a detachable and adjustable indicating member arranged to contain surplus oil, to regulate the flow of oil, and to prevent waste.

A further object of my invention is to provide in an oil can of the class described, an indicator arranged whereby the oil can spout may be removed in various cases and different sized spouts substituted therefor.

Other objects and advantages to be derived from the use of my improved oil can indicator will appear from the following detail description and the claim, taken with 'an'inspection of the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an oil can, showing my improved indicator applied thereto. said indicator being shown in vertical section,

Fig. 2 is a fragmental perspective view of the oil regulating conduits, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar characters of reference designate like and corresponding parts throughout the various views, 1 designates the body of an oil can. said body having the usual handle 2 thereon. My invention will be found particularly useful when applied to a locomotive engineers oil can and the like wherein a relatively long spout member is employed. It is well known that in using oil cans of this type for reaching the inner portions of large locomotives it is practically impossible to determine whether the oil is flowing or not. It is therefore a further object of my invention to adapt my indicator to this type of oil can.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed April 4, 1916f Serial No. 88,887.

The filling cap of the oil can 1 is designated 3 and is provided with a central openmg 4 in which is mounted a conduit 5 having a threaded p0rti0n'6, lock nuts 7 and 8 on the upper and lower faces of the cap 3 serving to rigidly mount said conduits in position on said cap. The outer free end of the bore 9 of the conduit 5 is threaded as at 10 for engagement with an .outlet nipple 11. The nipple 11 may be provided with various sized openings to adjust the oil can to various thicknesses of oil. It is well known that different grades of oil, have varying thicknesses, and hence'the same size outlets from the can, is not applicable to all oil, and by having the nipple 11 that is positioned in the bore in the conduit 5 detachable, various size nipples are adapted to be placed therein, having various size openings, to correspond to the thickness of the oil used in the can. This permits a quick adjustment, so as to not retard the flow of oil from the can, when a change in the grade of oil is made. A pair of arms 12 extend upwardly from the conduit 5 in spaced relation and carry an extension 13 of said conduit, said extension having a bore 14 and a threaded portion 15. The spaced arms 12 provide a sight opening from which to view the oil as it passes through the spout in a manner hereinafter set forth in detail.

I provide an oil stopper and indicator which comprises preferably a transparent tubular body 16 arranged about the conduit 5 adjacent the sight opening thereof, said tubular member 16 being mounted in position by means of base cap 17, lock nuts 18 and sealing washer 19. The washer 19 may be formed of leather or any suitable material which is not acted upon by oil. The upper end of the tubular member 16 is secured by means of a top cap 20, sealing washer 21 and the threaded base portion 22 of a spout 23. As best shown in Fig. 1 the spout 23 is in threaded engagement with the portion 15 of the extension 13.

- In use the can is filled with the particular quality of and upon through the tilting the can the oil will flow duct 9, nipple 11, and in view of the inclined position of the tubular member 16 will flow thereinto. As the upper end of the tubular member is tilted to be filled with oil the same will overflow the marginal edges of the extension 13 and pass through the upper portion and into the spout 23 oil which it is desired to be used thereby insuring an even flow of oil no matter how fast the oil may be fed from the body 1 of the oil can. During this opera-' tion the user of the can may very readily determine whether the oil is flowing or not by virtue of the transparent tubular member 16. When through using the can when the same is in position shown in Fig, l the .oil will run back into the can, some of the oil staying in the tubular member 16 extending to a level equal with the upper free end of the nipple 11. This will always indicate the quality of oil containedin the can provided 'it s unnecessary to test out two .or three cans of oil or perhaps more to locate the particularclass or quality of oil desired for the machine in question. It Will be readily apparent that the structure hereinbefore described and shown in the drawing may be modified for different purposes. I have, herein shown'and described, the preferred form, in View of the fact, that the parts are readily detachable for substitution, repair, and cleaning.

From the above description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive und rstanding o the cons uc i n, operation C p o t i pat nt ay b o ed fo and advantages of my invention may be had,

and while I have shown and described my invention as embodying a specific structure, I desire that it be understood that I may make such changes on said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

ment withsaid cap, a pair of arms extending upwardly from the conduit providing -supporting means for an extension formed on the upper ends thereof, a transparent body surrounding the conduit, fluid tight connections between the opposite ends of said body and the conduit, a detachable nipple eonnected to the conduit providing means for adjusting the same to different grades of oil,

and a spout mounted upon the extension for a purpose described. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my slgnature hereto.

LEONARD S, BALUTA. Witness:

LOUIS APIoHnLL,

jive cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

